Rotor apparatus for baler
A rotor apparatus for a baler is provided such that hay on the ground is picked up by a hay pick-up apparatus installed at the side of the baler and the picked-up hay is fed without being wound around the rotor feeding the hay to the region of the roll forming apparatus, whereby the hay of the hay pick-up apparatus is fed to the region of the roll forming apparatus quickly, precisely, and evenly. In addition, a load of the rotor is minimized when the hay is fed to the region of the roll forming apparatus, thereby extending the service life of the rotor.
The present invention relates generally to a rotor apparatus for a baler configured to roll rice straw or grass (hereinafter referred to as “hay”) on a paddy field or grass field into a cylinder shape and discharge it onto the field, wherein a hay pick-up apparatus of the baler picks up hay from the ground and the rotor apparatus feeds the picked-up hay to a region of a roll forming apparatus.
BACKGROUND ARTIn general, rice straw or grass is used as livestock feed, thus the rice straw that has been left over from harvesting rice is actively collected. For this reason, various types of machines have been developed and used for automatically collecting rice straw or grass, and compressing and binding the collected rice straw and grass together.
As an example of a conventional grass and rice straw collecting apparatus, a baler (round baler) is connected to the rear of an agricultural tractor used mainly in paddy fields and grass fields. While the agricultural tractor operates, forage crops such as rice straw and grass are collected by the round baler. The round baler is configured with a collecting part for collecting such forage crops, and a baling part for compressing and baling rice straw or grass collected through the collecting part.
Accordingly, the agricultural tractor operates in paddy fields and grass fields, and rice straw and grass are collected through the collecting part of the round baler and fed to the inside of the round baler. Then, the fed rice straw or grass is compressed at the baling part and is bound together using a net or vinyl when it reaches a certain size, whereby it can be used as bale silage.
However, a grass and rice straw winding-prevention apparatus of a rotor of the conventional round baler for collecting rice straw and grass is problematic in that when the forage crops collected at the collecting part are fed to the baler, the crops are caught in gaps defined between internal components such as the rotor, rollers, etc. that are provided inside the collecting apparatus and may clog the gaps. Further, the crops may be fed in a direction other than a predetermined feeding direction, which often causes failure, breakage, or malfunction of the rotor and the rollers of the grass and rice straw collecting apparatus.
In addition, grass and rice straw are wound around the rotor in the collection part, so collection and feeding of the forage crops may not be continuously efficiently performed, which leads to interruption of collection work of grass and rice straw.
Consequently, research and development are required in order to realize more rapid and efficient collection of grass and rice straw.
DISCLOSURE Technical ProblemAccordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the related art, and objects of the present invention are as follows.
First, the present disclosure provides a rotor apparatus for a baler, in which hay on the ground is picked up by a hay pick-up apparatus installed at the side of the baler and the picked-up hay is fed without being wound around the rotor feeding the hay to the region of a roll forming apparatus.
Second, the present disclosure provides a rotor apparatus for a baler, in which the hay of the hay pick-up apparatus is fed to the region of the roll forming apparatus quickly, precisely, and evenly.
Third, the present disclosure provides a rotor apparatus for a baler, in which a load of the rotor is minimized when the hay is fed to the region of the roll forming apparatus, whereby failure of the power source supplying a rotational power to the rotor is minimized.
Fourth, the present disclosure provides a rotor apparatus for a baler, in which the service life of the rotor is extended.
Technical SolutionIn order to achieve the above objects, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rotor apparatus for a baler.
The baler is configured such that hay V is picked up from the ground by a hay pick-up apparatus P and the picked-up hay is fed to a region of a roll forming apparatus M.
The rotor apparatus R includes a rotary shaft 200, the rotary shaft including: a power input shaft 220 provided at a first end of the hollow pipe and having spline teeth 221 circumferentially formed on an outside end of the power input shaft, the power input shaft rotating the rotor apparatus by receiving external power; and a power output shaft 230 provided at a second end of the hollow pipe and having spline teeth 231 circumferentially formed on an outside end of the power output shaft, the power output shaft transmitting power of the rotor apparatus to outside.
The hollow pipe may be provided at opposite ends thereof with margin portions 211, respectively, and a plurality of hay feeding blade assemblies 300 each having a plurality of sharp tips 330 may be arranged on the hollow pipe at a position between the margin portions such that the tips of the hay feeding blades assemblies are offset from each other with respect to a lengthwise direction of the hollow pipe.
Each of the margin portions provided at the opposite ends of the hollow pipe may be coupled with a foreign substance inflow prevention cover 400 preventing hay and foreign substances from invading into the opposite ends of the hollow pipe, and having an opening 410 formed at a central portion thereof, piece holes 420 formed around a periphery of the opening 410, a margin portion reception part 440 circumferentially formed on an inner surface of the foreign substance inflow prevention cover at a position outside the piece holes, and a bracket 450 installed on an outer surface of the foreign substance inflow prevention cover.
A width W of the margin portion 211 may be smaller than a depth W′ of the margin portion reception part 440 such that a front end of the margin portion is prevented from being in contact with an inside end of the margin portion reception part 440.
Advantageous EffectsThe rotor apparatus for the baler according to the present invention having the above-described characteristics has the following effects.
First, hay on the ground can be picked up by a hay pick-up apparatus installed at the side of the baler and the picked-up hay can be fed without being wound around the rotor feeding the hay to the region of a roll forming apparatus. Second, the hay of the hay pick-up apparatus can be fed to the region of the roll forming apparatus quickly, precisely, and evenly. Third, a load of the rotor can be minimized when the hay is fed to the region of the roll forming apparatus, whereby failure of the power source supplying a rotational power to the rotor can be minimized. Fourth, the service life of the rotor can be extended.
The present invention relates to a rotor apparatus R for a baler B configured to roll hay on the paddy field or grass field into a cylinder shape and discharge it onto the field for use as livestock feed, wherein as shown in
A process of rolling the hay V into a cylinder shape and discharging it from the baler B provided with the rotor apparatus R will be briefly described as follows.
The hay on the paddy field or grass field is picked up by the hay pick-up apparatus P and the picked-up hay of the hay pick-up apparatus P is fed by the rotor apparatus R to the region of the roll forming apparatus M. Here, the hay is cut to a predetermined length by a hay cutter L installed at a lower portion of the rotor apparatus R, and then all of the cut hay is fed by a scraper S to the region of the roll forming apparatus M without being released outside the region of the roll forming apparatus M, whereby the hay is rolled into a cylinder shape and discharged onto the ground.
The cutting width of the hay cut to a predetermined length may be determined to maintain the width of two hay feeding blade assemblies 300 arranged on a hollow pipe 210 lengthwise as shown in
The hay pick-up apparatus P, the roll forming apparatus M, the hay cutter L, and the scraper S that constitute the baler B described above are general techniques, so a detailed configuration and operation effects thereof are omitted. The rotor apparatus R, which is a main feature of the present invention, will now be described in detail.
As shown in
The external power described above means a power source (not shown) mounted on the baler, and a power transmission means (not shown) for transmitting rotational power of the power source to the spline teeth 221 of the power input shaft 220 connects the power source and the spline teeth 221.
A power output shaft 230 is provided at a second end of the hollow pipe 210, the power output shaft transmitting rotational power of the rotor apparatus R to the outside, and having spline teeth 231 circumferentially formed on an outside end thereof.
The outside to which the rotational power of the rotor apparatus R described above is transmitted means an external device that is located near the hay pick-up apparatus P or the rotor apparatus R of the baler and which requires rotational power.
A power transmission means (not shown) for transmitting rotational power of the power output shaft 230 connects the spline teeth 231 of the power output shaft 230 and the hay pick-up apparatus P or the external device requiring rotational power.
In addition, as shown in
The reason why the tips 330 of the feeding blade assemblies 300 are offset from each other with respect to the lengthwise direction of the hollow pipe 210 will be described. As shown in
Here, in the case that the tips 330 of the plurality of hay feeding blade assemblies 300 are arranged at the same position, the plurality of hay feeding blade assemblies 300 arranged at the same position simultaneously feeds the hay V of the hay pick-up apparatus P to pass the hay through the hay cutter L. As a result, a load is more likely to be applied to a rotary shaft 200 than when the hay feeding blade assemblies 300 passes the hay sequentially one by one.
When the load is applied to the rotary shaft 200 as described above, the rotary shaft 200 is deformed and the power source and the power transmission means that transmit power to the rotary shaft 200 are damaged or broken. Accordingly, in order to minimize the load on the rotary shaft 200, the tips 330 of the hay feeding blade assemblies 300 are offset from each other with respect to the lengthwise direction of the hollow pipe 210.
Consequently, when the tips 330 of the feeding blade assemblies 300 are offset from each other with respect to the lengthwise direction of the hollow pipe 210 as described above, it is possible to protect the rotary shaft 200 and to protect the power source that transmits rotational power to the power input shaft 220.
Further, the reason why the tips 330 of the hay feeding blade assemblies 300 are sharpened is that the hay V located in the hay pick-up apparatus P is easily collected and efficiently fed to the region of the roll forming apparatus M.
Each hay feeding blade of the hay feeding blade assemblies 300 described above has a structure in which an opening is formed at a central portion such that the hay feeding blade is tightly fitted to the hollow pipe 210, and extended portions extend from the opening to the sharp tips 330 to become gradually narrower in width from the opening to the tips 330.
Further, a foreign substance inflow prevention cover 400 for preventing hay and foreign substances from invading into the opposite ends of the hollow pipe 210 is coupled to each of the margin portions 211 formed at the opposite ends of the hollow pipe 210. The foreign substance inflow prevention cover 400 has a structure in which an opening 410 is formed at a central portion, and piece holes 420 are formed around the periphery of the opening 410. A margin portion reception part 440 receiving therein the margin portion 211 is formed circumferentially on the inner surface of the foreign substance inflow prevention cover 400 at a position outside the piece holes, and a bracket 450 is installed on the outer surface of the foreign substance inflow prevention cover 400.
The reason why the foreign substance inflow prevention covers 400 are coupled to the margin portions 211 is that the hay V is wound around the hay feeding blade assembles 300 arranged at the outermost sides of the hollow pipe 210 in the process of feeding the hay of the hay pick-up apparatus P to the region of the roll forming apparatus M by the rotor apparatus R. Accordingly, a rotary load is applied to the rotary shaft 200, which causes a problem of failure of the power source. Thus, in order to solve this problem, the foreign substance inflow prevention covers 400 are coupled to the margin portions 211.
Particularly, a length from a first end to a second end of the hay pick-up apparatus P, which picks up the hay V on the ground of a paddy field or a grass field, is longer than a length from a first end to a second end of the hollow pipe 210 provided with the hay feeding blade assemblies 300, so the hay V is concentrated on the hay feeding blade assemblies 300 arranged at the outermost sides of the hollow pipe 210.
The foreign substance inflow prevention cover 400 has the opening 410 formed at the central portion thereof. This is because the foreign substance inflow prevention covers 400 must be fitted over the power input shaft 220 and the power output shaft 230 to be coupled to the margin portions 211. Accordingly, the opening 410 is formed at the central portion of the foreign substance inflow prevention cover 400.
Further, the piece holes 420 are formed around the periphery of the opening 410 of the foreign substance inflow prevention cover 400. This is to fix the foreign substance inflow prevention cover 400 to a side of the baler using a piece (bolt).
In addition, the margin portion reception part 440 receiving therein the margin portion 211 is formed circumferentially on the inner surface of the foreign substance inflow prevention cover 400 at a position outside the piece holes 420. The reason for forming the margin portion reception part 440 is to prevent the hay from being wound around the margin portion 211 and to protect the margin portion 211.
The bracket 450 is installed on the outer surface of the foreign substance inflow prevention cover 400. The reason for installing the bracket 450 is to fix the foreign substance inflow prevention cover 400 more securely and firmly to the side of the baler.
The arrangement of a first embodiment of the hay feeding blade assemblies 300 arranged on the hollow pipe 210 in the rotor apparatus for the baler according to the present invention as described above will be described. As shown in
Here, the thickness D of the hay feeding blade 310 arranged at each of the opposite outermost sides of the hollow pipe 210 may be larger than the thickness D′ of either one of the two hay feeding blades 320 of the remaining hay feeding blade assemblies. Accordingly, the desired rigidity is imparted to one hay feeding blade 310 arranged at each of the opposite outermost sides of the hollow pipe 210 so that the hay feeding blade 310 is prevented from deformation.
The arrangement of a second embodiment of the hay feeding blade assemblies 300 arranged on the hollow pipe 210 in the rotor apparatus for the baler according to the present invention will be described. As shown in
The arrangement of a third embodiment of the hay feeding blade assemblies 300 arranged on the hollow pipe 210 in the rotor apparatus for the baler according to the present invention will be described. As shown in
The arrangement of a fourth embodiment of the hay feeding blade assemblies 300 arranged on the hollow pipe 210 in the rotor apparatus for the baler according to the present invention will be described. As shown in
The arrangement of a fifth embodiment of the hay feeding blade assemblies 300 arranged on the hollow pipe 210 in the rotor apparatus for the baler according to the present invention will be described. As shown in
The arrangement of a sixth embodiment of the hay feeding blade assemblies 300 arranged on the hollow pipe 210 in the rotor apparatus for the baler according to the present invention will be described. As shown in
As shown in
Meanwhile, as shown in
In addition, as shown in
The reason for this is that when foreign substances existing inside the foreign substance inflow prevention cover 400 and existing between the foreign substance inflow prevention cover and the margin portion are not removed, friction occurs between the fixed foreign substance inflow prevention cover 400 and the hollow pipe 210 of the rotating rotary shaft 200 and thus a load is applied to the rotary shaft 200. In addition, the friction causes heat to be generated and a fire may occur, so it is required to remove the foreign substances existing inside the foreign substance inflow prevention cover 400 and existing between the foreign substance inflow prevention cover and the margin portion.
Meanwhile, the width W of the margin portion 211 as shown in
As shown in
The inside plates 222 and 232 and the outside plates 223 and 233 may have an outer diameter such that the inner and outside plates are tightly fitted to the inner circumferential surface of the hollow pipe 210. Accordingly, the inside plates 222 and 232, and the outer plates 223 and 233 are tightly fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the hollow pipe 210, whereby the power input shaft 220 and the power output shaft 230 are securely and firmly supported, and the power input shaft 220 and the power output shaft 230 are located in a straight line.
Further, outside plate stop steps 224 and 234 determining fixing positions of the outside plates 223 and 233 are formed at the central portions of the power input shaft 220 and the power output shaft 230, respectively, and inside plate stop steps 225 and 235 determining fixing positions of the inside plates 222 and 232 are formed at the end portions of the inside ends of the power input shaft 220 and the power output shaft 230, respectively. An outer diameter of each of shaft portions from the outside plate stop steps to the inside plates of the power input shaft and the power output shaft may be larger than an outer diameter of each of shaft portions from the inside ends to the inside plate stop steps of the power input shaft and the power output shaft.
Each of the power input shaft 220 and the power output shaft 230 is provided with the outside plate stop steps 224 and 234 and provided with the inside plate stop steps 225 and 235, whereby the outside plates 223 and 233 are accurately and firmly fixed to the outside plate stop steps 224 and 234, and the inside plates 222 and 232 are accurately and firmly fixed to the inside plate stop steps 225 and 235.
Further, an outer diameter of each of shaft portions from the outside plate stop steps 224 and 234 to the inside plates 222 and 232 of the power input shaft 220 the power output shaft 230 may be larger than an outer diameter of each of shaft portions from the inside ends to the inside plate stop steps 225 and 235 of the power input shaft and the power output shaft.
Accordingly, the outside plates 223 and 233 can be efficiently fitted over the shaft until reaching the outside plate stop steps 224 and 234.
As described above, in the rotor apparatus for the baler according to the present invention as described in the above effect, hay on the ground is picked up by the hay pick-up apparatus installed at the side of the baler and the picked-up hay can be fed without being wound around the rotor feeding the hay to the region of the roll forming apparatus, whereby the hay of the hay pick-up apparatus can be fed to the region of the roll forming apparatus quickly, precisely, and evenly. In addition, a load of the rotor can be minimized when the hay is fed to the region of the roll forming apparatus, thereby extending the service life of the rotor.
Claims
1. A rotor apparatus for a baler, the baler being configured such that hay is picked up from the ground by a hay pick-up apparatus and the picked-up hay is fed to a region of a roll forming apparatus by the rotor apparatus, the rotor apparatus comprising:
- a rotary shaft, the rotary shaft including:
- a power input shaft provided at a first end of a hollow pipe and having a first external spline teeth circumferentially formed at an end portion of the power input shaft, the power input shaft rotating the rotor apparatus by receiving external power; and
- a power output shaft provided at a second end of the hollow pipe and having a second external spline teeth circumferentially formed at an end portion of the power output shaft, the power output shaft transmitting power of the rotor apparatus to outside, wherein
- the hollow pipe is provided at opposite ends thereof with margin portions, respectively, and a plurality of hay feeding blade assemblies each having a plurality of sharp tips are arranged on the hollow pipe at a position between the opposite margin portions such that tips of the plurality of hay feeding blade assemblies are offset from each other with respect to a lengthwise direction of the hollow pipe,
- each of the margin portions provided at the opposite ends of the hollow pipe is coupled with a foreign substance inflow prevention cover preventing hay and foreign substances from invading into the opposite ends of the hollow pipe, and having an opening formed at a central portion thereof, piece holes formed around a periphery of the opening, a margin portion reception part circumferentially formed on an inner surface of the foreign substance inflow prevention cover at a position outside the piece holes, and a bracket installed on an outer surface of the foreign substance inflow prevention cover, and
- a width of the margin portion is less than a depth of the margin portion reception part such that a front end of the margin portion is prevented from being in contact with an inside end of the margin portion reception part.
2. The rotor apparatus of claim 1, wherein each end portion of the plurality of hay feeding blade assemblies, arranged at respective of opposite outermost sides of the hollow pipe, includes a single hay feeding blade, and each of remaining portion of the plurality of hay feeding blade assemblies includes two hay feeding blades facing each other, respectively, and has a space therebetween.
3. The rotor apparatus of claim 2, wherein a thickness of the single hay feeding blade arranged at each of the opposite outermost sides of the hollow pipe is greater than a thickness of either one of the two hay feeding blades of the remaining portion of the plurality of hay feeding blade assemblies.
4. The rotor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of hay feeding blade assemblies, arranged on each portion of the hollow pipe at the position between the opposite margin portions, include two hay feeding blades having the same size and shape and facing each other and have a space therebetween.
5. The rotor apparatus of claim 4, wherein the space of the hay feeding blades of each of the plurality of hay feeding blade assemblies arranged at the opposite outermost sides of the hollow pipe is partially closed by tip reinforcing holders at positions around each of the tips.
6. The rotor apparatus of claim 1, wherein each end portion of the plurality of hay feeding blade assemblies, arranged at respective of first opposite outermost sides of the hollow pipe, includes two hay feeding blades facing each other and has a first space therebetween,
- a single hay feeding blade arranged at second opposite outermost sides of the hollow pipe, and
- each of intermediate hay feeding blades arranged inside of the single hay feeding blade facing the two hay feeding blades each other and has a second space therebetween.
7. The rotor apparatus of claim 6, wherein a plurality of tip reinforcing holders partially close the spaces defined between the hay feeding blades of the plurality of hay feeding blade assemblies arranged at the opposite outermost sides of the hollow pipe at positions around the tips, and partially alternately close the spaces defined between the hay feeding blades of intermediate hay feeding blade assemblies at positions around the tips.
8. The rotor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sharp tips of the plurality of hay feeding blade assemblies are formed with at least one of oppositely directed two tips, three tips forming a triangle, and four tips forming a square.
9. The rotor apparatus of claim 1, wherein each tip portion of the plurality of hay feeding blade assemblies includes a hole.
10. The rotor apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
- a foreign substance outlet communicating with the margin portion reception part being provided at an outer circumferential surface of the foreign substance inflow prevention cover.
11. The rotor apparatus of claim 10, wherein the foreign substance outlet is formed with one of longitudinal hole circumferentially formed on an upper portion of the outer circumferential surface of the foreign substance inflow prevention cover or an opening formed by partially circumferentially cutting an upper portion of the outer circumferential surface of the foreign substance inflow prevention cover.
12. The rotor apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:
- a scraper removing foreign substances being provided at inside of the foreign substance inflow prevention cover and being provided between the foreign substance inflow prevention cover and the margin portion.
13. The rotor apparatus of claim 1, wherein
- inside ends of the power input shaft and the power output shaft are partially inserted into the opposite ends of the hollow pipe, and the outside ends of the power input shaft and the power output shaft having the first and second external spline teeth are exposed outside,
- inside plates are provided on end portions of the inside ends of the power input shaft and the power output shaft that are inserted into the opposite ends of the hollow pipe, respectively, the inside plates being tightly fitted into the hollow pipe,
- outside plates are provided on central portions of the power input shaft and the power output shaft, respectively, the outside plates fitted into the hollow pipe to close the opposite ends of the hollow pipe, and
- through holes are formed on the hollow pipe at positions corresponding to the inside plates such that the inside plates are fixed to the hollow pipe by welding or using a fixing member, and the outside plates are fixed to the hollow pipe by welding or using the fixing member.
14. The rotor apparatus of claim of 13, wherein
- outside plate stop steps determining fixing positions of the outside plates are formed at the central portions of the power input shaft and the power output shaft, respectively,
- inside plate stop steps determining fixing positions of the inside plates are formed at the end portions of the inside ends of the power input shaft and the power output shaft, respectively, and
- an outer diameter of each of shaft portions from the outside plate stop steps to the inside plates of the power input shaft and the power output shaft is greater than an outer diameter of each of shaft portions from the inside ends to the inside plate stop steps of the power input shaft and the power output shaft.
| 6679041 | January 20, 2004 | Viaud |
| 6769239 | August 3, 2004 | Webb |
| 6886312 | May 3, 2005 | Inman |
| 7867072 | January 11, 2011 | Lauwers |
| 8205424 | June 26, 2012 | Lang |
| 10039237 | August 7, 2018 | Smith |
| 20140109542 | April 24, 2014 | McClure et al. |
| 3924997 | June 2007 | JP |
| 10-1061920 | September 2011 | KR |
| 10-1386440 | April 2014 | KR |
| 10-2016-0048520 | May 2016 | KR |
Type: Grant
Filed: Mar 14, 2017
Date of Patent: Jan 7, 2020
Patent Publication Number: 20180220585
Inventor: Kyoung-Jin Seo (Jeollanam-do)
Primary Examiner: Robert E Pezzuto
Application Number: 15/569,817
International Classification: A01F 15/10 (20060101); A01D 89/00 (20060101); A01F 15/07 (20060101);
